SOURCES OF STRESS IN THE NATIONAL-HEALTH-SERVICE - A COMPARISON OF 7 OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS

This paper reports a comparative study of sources of occupational stre ss affecting the seven major occupational groups within the National H ealth Service. The groups are compared on seven dependent variables. T hese are the six sub-categories of stressors identified by Cooper and Marshall (1978) and measured by the Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI ) (Cooper et al. 1988), and a total stress score that is derived by su mming scores for each of the six sub-categories. Occupational groups d iffered significantly (p < .05) in only two of the six sub-categories. In these cases occupational groups not normally associated with front -line care reported higher levels of stress than either doctors or nur ses. The results show that high levels of occupational stress are expe rienced by all occupational groups within the NHS and the subsequent d iscussion argues for a more progressive research policy that gives ade quate attention to 'lower status' groups, such as ancillary, works and maintenance, and administrative and clerical.